Five drug kingpins nabbed in 3 weeks

Dar es Salaam. The Drug Control and Enforcement Commission (DCEC) yesterday said it had arrested five suspected key narcotics kingpins from the list of names availed by Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda.

Speaking at the launch of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) report for 2016 at the Commission’s head offices, DCEC Commissioner General Rodgers Siyanga said they launched investigations after receiving the list of 97 suspects three weeks ago.

“There were almost 100 names, and some of them are addicts, and we don’t prioritise arresting addicts, instead we collected information from them and help them receive treatment. However, there were suspected traffickers, and in the last two weeks there has been major operations to nab them,” said Mr Siyanga.

DCEC Commissioner of Intelligence Fredrick Kibuta said from their investigations they managed to arrest five key suspects who are to be charged anytime soon.

“We are not sitting on the names; again we are not publicising our operations, and that is why people don’t know what is happening on the ground. We have five key suspects and we have enough evidence to charge them.”

Although the commission didn’t name the five suspects, two weeks ao, a suspected heavyweight trafficker, Mr Ayubu Mfaume, alias Kiboko, surrendered to the commission after an intensive manhunt.

According to Mr Siyanga the government is strongly committed to the fight against narcotics using a universally accepted approach, which involves supply, demand and harm reduction.

The INCB report notes that Africa continues to be used as part of the southern route for trafficking heroin from Afghanistan and has since become a consumption region. The report also mentioned Tanzania as a port of entry noting: “Although both West and East Africa have reportedly seen persistent use of air couriers to traffic heroin, trafficking in opiates through ports in East Africa, including in Mombasa, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, is still the preferred method.”

The report also discussed the vulnerability of women in drug abuse and noted that in Tanzania, 72 per cent of women who abuse heroin by injection are HIV positive, compared with 45 per cent of men.

“Indeed, women addicts are more vulnerable to HIV than their male counterparts. In order for them to afford the high cost of heroin they have to engage in cheap and unprotected sex. They are not only vulnerable to HIV but also Hepatitis and mental diseases,” said Commissioner Siyanga. The launch was also attended by the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Alvaro Rodriguez, who said his office was backing the government’s war on narcotics.